My phone or internet is down: do I get compensation in Ireland?
Contact your provider about the outage and about paying your bill. Providers may give a refund or bill credit for time without service; check your contract's terms on loss of service. If an urgent issue is not resolved, ComReg's Consumer Care Team may help.
When your line is down, your provider has to repair it. In some countries you get compensation if a fault is not fixed in time; what applies in Ireland, and what it means for emergency calls, is below.
📜 The rules in Ireland
Compensation
Legally required compensation covers switching and porting problems and missed or delayed switching and porting appointments; ComReg is reviewing other appointments. For other outages a refund or credit depends on your provider and contract.
Emergency calls
Calling 112 or 999 is free and needs no credit or other means of payment. Your provider must also pass your location to the emergency services free of charge.
The details
- Since 5 January 2026 every phone and broadband provider must have a customer charter: refund timescales, notice of planned outages, information on unplanned ones, and links to its legally required compensation schemes. (comreg.ie)
- Providers must take all necessary measures to keep voice and internet services as available as possible in a catastrophic network breakdown, and to keep access to emergency services uninterrupted. (irishstatutebook.ie)
- If an outage lasts a long time, ask your provider about alternatives, such as a temporary mobile broadband service. (comreg.ie)
- Providers keep a register of customers with disabilities and additional needs so they can support them better. Tell your provider if you rely on your service or are vulnerable. (comreg.ie)
ComReg Consumer Care Team
Takes up your complaint with the provider if it has not acknowledged it, has not replied within 10 working days, or you are unhappy with its reply.
🪜 Step by step
- Report the fault right awayCall or use the provider’s fault service, and note the date, time and reference number.
- Keep a recordWrite down how long the service is down and what you could not do.
- Ask for compensation or a refundIf the fault is not fixed in time, ask in writing for the compensation or price reduction that applies.
- Escalate if neededIf the provider refuses, complain in writing and then go to the dispute body.
📇 Who to contact
❓ Questions
Can I still call emergency services during an outage?
Emergency calls from a mobile phone usually go through any available network. If your phone cannot connect, ask someone nearby to call.
Is a short outage compensated?
Usually only longer faults or missed repair appointments are. The rule for Ireland, if there is one, is on this page.
What if the faults keep coming back?
Repeated faults can give you the right to a lower price or to end the contract. Ask the regulator or the dispute body.
📎 Sources
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